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Original poster

Will a lightbulb go on for Australia? (doubt it)

34 replies

99bottlesofkombucha · 05/07/2025 10:14

The news in Melbourne for the past week has been dominated by the news of a male childcare worker being charged with abuses against multiple children, and he's worked at 20 childcares in the west and north, some of them being multiple different childcares from a chain. Quite a few articles have raised the increased risk of males in childcare, and one chain has announced men will no longer be able to change nappies and toilet children. I have no idea whether that restriction is legal, and am not totally decided on how I feel about it, but wonder if anyone will realise that if they put this in place they are only restricting the nappy change and toileting role to staff who identify as female? I do have children in childcare in Melbourne.

OP posts:
Original poster
99bottlesofkombucha · 05/07/2025 11:45

The chaperoning/ doubling up/ ability to be observed at all times by a second staff member within the changing area and toilets are the key processes to really concentrate on to remove the possibility of offending, and possibly cctv including changing areas (which I doubt it ever includes currently) but that perhaps raises other risks and concerns. I don't want to ban male workers from childcare but it doesn't seem too awful to me to say strange men can't change babies nappies. I think male teachers are a really valuable part of the school experience but I also do expect male teachers not to share cabins with girls at school or accompany them into the toilet, as does every other parent out there, and is this really so different?

OP posts:
Original poster
99bottlesofkombucha · 05/07/2025 11:40

Scribblydoo · 05/07/2025 11:07

I'm not arguing that men commit more sex offences but I'm very interested as to the point of this argument as it is obviously a straw man. The OP is essentially stating Australia needs to ban men and any person born male from working in childcare. That won't protect children from abuse. Around 2-4 per cent of childcare workers are male but still for profit nurseries put children in harm's way through paying workers minimum wage, low worker to child ratios and lack of compliance to regulation. However I would argue Australia actually has quite a lot of regulation. This is a terrible case and awful for those families and children impacted but pretending this was an oversight that would have been solved by banning men is ridiculous.

Wow. I am not essentially saying that at all, I have not said that at all or anything like that? I have said that 1. a number of articles are calling for that (articles were in mainstream papers and not written by me to be completely clear) and 2. one childcare chain has announced that men will not be allowed to change nappies or do toileting. I'm literally just repeating my op here.
This is a terrible case, that much is true, and this case specifically is clearly one that would not have happened if men were banned as the perpetrator was a man, so the opposite of what you say.
I'm not even arguing men should be banned, but I do wish people wouldn't say either such clearly incorrect things, or not even read the op.

OP posts:
Original poster
99bottlesofkombucha · 05/07/2025 11:36

Scribblydoo · 05/07/2025 10:46

Are you honestly ok? Don't be ridiculous. That man is disgusting but if you think banning men from child care solves the problem then no it doesn't. Unfortunately women can also be terrible abusers and are. Tighter standards and enforcement is what is required which unfortunately childcare for profit doesn't support

I am not saying banning men from childcare solves the problem, if you read my opening post, so there's no need to argue that with me, but it is totally misleading to say the risk is equal to that from women when over 90% of the perpetrators are men. Well over 90% I would think, men are overall responsible for about 98% of sexual offences.
Better processes within the childcares are essential. I can't really get my head around for profit childcare and would never buy shares in them. My children are in a not for profit.

OP posts:
Scribblydoo · 05/07/2025 11:17

I think children shouldn't be alone with any adult in an institution and unfortunately many of the female workers are not well resourced, respected or well paid. Childcare needs to be taken more seriously overall

Wetoldyousaurus · 05/07/2025 11:12

I avoided pre schools with male staff. One had two males working there and I walked straight back out the door. I don’t care if that hurts anyone’s feelings. Sorry, but my controversial opinion is that pre verbal children should not be alone with men I don’t know extremely well without women chaperoning them. We have chaperones for intimate medical procedures for adults so why not for nappy changing etc? I know, I know, people will say that most abuse happens in the home. And not all men, and women do it too (yeah, like at a ratio of 98 to 2) And just think of Pelicot etc. But it comes down to opportunity. Pre schools give men ample opportunity and access. And children under 6 are extra vulnerable because of their lack of linguistic development. Let men do upper primary and secondary, with stringent safeguards in place. Leave the under 6 year olds to well paid, well resourced, well respected female staff.

Scribblydoo · 05/07/2025 11:07

I'm not arguing that men commit more sex offences but I'm very interested as to the point of this argument as it is obviously a straw man. The OP is essentially stating Australia needs to ban men and any person born male from working in childcare. That won't protect children from abuse. Around 2-4 per cent of childcare workers are male but still for profit nurseries put children in harm's way through paying workers minimum wage, low worker to child ratios and lack of compliance to regulation. However I would argue Australia actually has quite a lot of regulation. This is a terrible case and awful for those families and children impacted but pretending this was an oversight that would have been solved by banning men is ridiculous.

Samas · 05/07/2025 10:52

Scribblydoo · 05/07/2025 10:46

Are you honestly ok? Don't be ridiculous. That man is disgusting but if you think banning men from child care solves the problem then no it doesn't. Unfortunately women can also be terrible abusers and are. Tighter standards and enforcement is what is required which unfortunately childcare for profit doesn't support

The vast majority of sex offenders are men. Whether you agree with this policy or not, limiting such positions to women only will greatly reduce risk.

Scribblydoo · 05/07/2025 10:46

Are you honestly ok? Don't be ridiculous. That man is disgusting but if you think banning men from child care solves the problem then no it doesn't. Unfortunately women can also be terrible abusers and are. Tighter standards and enforcement is what is required which unfortunately childcare for profit doesn't support

ScathingAngelAgrona · 05/07/2025 10:42

I wish the lightbulb would go on. Tired of the entitled men lined up at the sinks in women’s toilets at conventions etc.